The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
15-7, 6-4
Texas Tech *
6-16, 0-11
Women's Basketball rolls past Texas Tech, 88-51
02.05.2014 | Women's Basketball
Longhorns improve to 5-0 in Big 12 home games after their ninth consecutive win at the Erwin Center.
Box Score (PDF) | Notes | Quotes | Photo Gallery
AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas Women's Basketball rolled past Texas Tech on Wednesday night at Frank Erwin Center, 88-51, to improve to 11-1 at home this season, including a 5-0 home record during Big 12 play.
Texas (15-7, 6-4) finished with three players in double-figure points led by sophomore Empress Davenport with 15 points, tying her career high, on 7-of-9 shooting. Davenport also contributed three assists and three rebounds in a team-high 22 minutes of play.
Sophomore Imani McGee-Stafford scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting with five rebounds in 16 minutes. Sophomore Brady Sanders chipping in 10 points and a team-high four assists in 20 minutes.
With the help of two three-pointers by GiGi Mazionyte and one from Chassidy Fussell, the Longhorns went on a 30-3 run in the first half, putting the Lady Raiders (6-16, 0-11) in a hole they couldn't climb out of.
Texas finished the first half with a 51-22 lead while going 6-of-9 from beyond the arc. McGee-Stafford was perfect from the field in the first half, hitting 5-of-5 shots for 11 points, and Davenport chipped in nine first-half points. 10 different Longhorns scored in the first 20 minutes of play.
Texas' first half performance was one for the record books, as the Longhorns' 75.0 field goal percentage marks the highest shooting percentage for the Longhorns in a half this season, and the highest since the Longhorns shot 76.0 percent against Kansas on Feb. 20, 2013. UT's 51 first-half points are the highest first half tally this season.
Texas continued their dominant play in the second half, increasing their lead to 37 points at the 12:22 mark.
The Longhorns outmatched the Red Raiders in almost every statistical aspect, out-rebounding Texas Tech 42-to-30 and out-scoring in the paint, 48-to-4. At the final horn, 12 different Longhorns scored with seven tallying eight or more points.
UT's 37-point win is the largest margin of victory in conference play this season.
Texas Tech's Amber Battle led the Red Raiders with 16 points and Shauntal Nobles had a game-high 12 rebounds.
The Longhorns continue Big 12 play on Sunday in Austin against Iowa State at 2 p.m. Central on FOX Sports 1.
• Series: Wednesday's game marked the 91st meeting between Texas and Texas Tech. Texas leads the all-time series 61-30.
• Starters: Sophomore Celina Rodrigo, senior Chassidy Fussell, sophomore Brady Sanders, junior Nneka Enemkpali and freshman Kelsey Lang started on Wednesday. This is the third time the Longhorns have started this lineup this season, and they carry a 3-0 record with this starting lineup.
• In the first half, Texas shot an even 75.0 percent (21-28 FG) shooting to score 51 first-half points. Texas' 75.0 percent field goal shooting is the highest shooting percentage in a half since Feb. 20, 2013 when the Longhorns shot 76.0 percent against Kansas. In addition, Texas' 51 points are the highest total the Longhorns have tallied in a first half this season.
• Texas dished out 22 assists, which marks a high for UT in Big 12 Conference play and the highest team assist total since Texas delivered 21 assists against Idaho on Dec. 28, 2013.
• For the game, Texas shot a season-high 62.1 percent (36-58 FG) from the floor.
• Seven Longhorns scored seven or more points, including three players in double-figures (Sanders, Davenport and McGee-Stafford).
Empress Davenport
• Tied her career high in points (15) and field goals made (seven).
• Also had three assists and three rebounds in 22 minutes of play.
Imani McGee-Stafford
• Scored 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting and grabbed five rebounds in 16 minutes of play.
Brady Sanders
• Scored 10 points of 4-of-5 shooting and dished out a team-high four assists in 20 minutes of play.
• Is averaging 11.8 points per game over the last four games.
Kelsey Lang
• Scored eight points and grabbed eight rebounds.
• Is averaging 6.0 rebounds per game as a starter this season.
Head Coach Karen Aston
Opening Statement: I'm really pleased, in particular with the first half. You never know how a team is going to bounce back from a disappointing loss, which is what we had on Saturday. We refocused on Monday and really talked about different situations with our team that we can try to improve on. We focus every day on getting better offensively and I think it's evident that we are getting better and more comfortable with the system and with each other, but again, good performance. Texas Tech has played really well recently, and I know what place they're in, but it really doesn't matter as we can all clearly see from conference game to conference game. I'm proud we defended home court.
On why their offense is so much better lately: I think they're getting more comfortable. I think we've slowed down a little bit. We talked about it even before the game how I felt like we almost slowed down too much and had stopped running and looking for our transition game, but I purposely did that a few weeks ago to try and slow our team down and cut the turnovers down. I started calling a few more plays and trying to get them to think about the game a little bit differently. We talked before the game about trying to get back to our transition game, which I thought we did a pretty good job of today. I think they're getting more comfortable, more confident and maturing.
On how the first half of conference went and key points to going into the second half: Well the key points are absolutely that we have to keep getting better. You can always look back and wish we won the West Virginia game, and there were obviously some possessions in the Baylor game we'd like to have gone differently, but at the midpoint, it was all about how can we get better? What can our individuals do to be better and how can we get better as a basketball team, and some of that is continuing to get better offensively.
Sophomore guard Empress Davenport
On the hot streak in the first half: I think we were feeling pretty good in shoot-around and pregame before the game started. Everybody was hitting their shots and that goes to show how many offensive rebounds we didn't get because everybody was making their shots. I think it had to do a lot with our focus and how we came into the game.
On how it felt to win the game and then go sign some autographs: This one little girl came up to me last game, and told me that I was her favorite player. That just melted my heart. It does something to me when I get to sign autographs.
Senior forward GiGi Mazionyte
On her sense of urgency being a senior: I just want to use and value every minute I spend on the court and not only on the court, but outside of basketball. I just really want to enjoy the moment with my team and my friends and just go to classes and spend some good times here in Texas.
On why she thinks this team is so much better this year than last year: We know each other better, and we know what to expect from Coach [Aston], and we know what Coach [Aston] expects from us. I think that's the main reason why we are better.
TEXAS TECH
Head Coach Candi Whitaker
On Texas' performance: I think you've got to give them a lot of credit. They were making a lot of shots from the perimeter. They've got some great players and some big time size inside. We wanted to try to protect the best we could from inside out and they were scoring inside, outside, really everywhere. They have a great team, and I think they have a chance to beat a lot of people.
On freshman guard Diamond Lockhart: I was really proud to see Diamond not afraid to go make a play. All of her shots were very in rhythm and had good tempo to them. She didn't rush them. I thought she did a good job of reading the defense and I'm really proud of her performance.
On senior forward/center Shauntal Nobles: Shauntal did a good job. She rebounded a lot of her own misses, but I thought she battled hard and had opportunities at the rim but they didn't go.
On halftime adjustments: We talked about guarding on ball certain ways, whether there was an overload on a certain side or two-man game, and then talked about playing more 2-3 zone.
On if they were intimated by Texas' height: You'd have to ask our players that. I am not intimidated by their height, but I think their height was a factor. They're very good players. I don't think it was intimidation as much as they're very good players that are able to make plays.
